Yardpartners.News from the Yard.

November has seen another momentous month, with Korean pop song, Gangnam Style, overtaking Justin Beiber’s video as the most-watched YouTube clip of all time; an Australian daredevil, Felix Baumgartner, making a successful sky-dive from space; and shockingly U.S stock trading shutting down for two days during Hurricane Sandy - the first time in over 30 years.

We thought as its November, a month of terrible weather, no holidays and Christmas-come-far-too-early, we’d tell you about some great new up and coming technologies…

Firstly, something noteworthy for all of those who can’t get through the day without at least 5 cups of tea! An ingenious company is currently in the process of designing the world’s first pod-based tea maker, The Tê system. They claim the machine will “take tea to the next level” and that the new system has the “ability to reduce brew time and increase drink quality”.

Coffee-fanatics have had the choice of thousands of swanky machines to make the perfect cup for years, lets hope tea drinks soon benefit too!

Another problem that someone, at last, is working on, is solving commuting hell – we say it couldn’t have come sooner!

If you’re one of many that ends up stuck in miles of traffic every morning and evening, Ozan Tonguz of Carnegie Mellon University in the US might be someone you’ll want to thank in the future. Recently, Tonguz patented an algorithm that directs traffic at busy junctions. Short-range communication systems within the cars exchange information on number and direction of travel, the largest group of vehicles is then given an in-car green light, the other a red light.

We like the sounds of these stats – over the past three years simulations have shown the system could reduce commute time for urban workers by up to 60% during rush hour!

It may sound like a distant technology, but the company has backing from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration in the US and large scale testing is due to begin next year.